Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION: This application claims priority from
US provisional application no. 62/832,432 filed April 11, 2019 the entirety of
which is
incorporated herein by reference.
TITLE: Truss Plates for Joining Members
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Truss plates are often used to join together pieces of 2x4 lumber in order to
construct
preassembled roof components and the like. The truss plates generally consist
of a flat metal
plate having a plurality of teeth formed thereon which project out of one side
of the thrust plate.
The teeth are formed by punching the plate with a die to form a series of
rectangular openings,
each with an adjoining tooth projecting perpendicularly away from the plate by
several mm.
The plate therefore has a large number of sharp pointed teeth projecting from
one side of the
plate and can be attached to a piece of lumber by pressing the plate into the
lumber with a great
deal of force.
When two pieces of lumber which are to be joined by the thrust plates, the two
pieces of
lumber are cut as required and placed together to form a joint. The joint is
then sandwiched
between a pair of opposing truss plates with the teeth of each plate facing
the cut lumber,
preferably with half of each plate facing each of the pieces of lumber. The
cut lumber and truss
plates are positioned together in a hydraulic press which then applies
hundreds or thousands of
pounds of pressure on the plates to force them towards each other causing the
teeth of the plates
to be forced into the lumber. The truss plates then effectively secure the two
pieces of lumber
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together with a secure connection.
It can be appreciated that the use of truss plates has made the mass
construction of
structural lumber components more cost effective. Of course, these truss
plates require the use
of heavy duty hydraulic presses and a manufacturing facility structured to
facilitate those presses.
As a result, the use of truss plates to form trusses or other lumber
components cannot be done on
the fly or in the field. An improved system of manufacturing and using truss
plates which does
away with these complications is therefore advantageous.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed at a system for joining pieces of lumber by
hand. The
system includes a truss plate for attaching the pieces of lumber together and
a truss plate mounting
press for mounting the truss plate onto the pieces of lumber. The truss plate
mounting press
includes a first flat plate, the first flat plate having a rod perpendicularly
extending from a central
portion of the first plate, and a second flat plate having a centrally located
rod aperture dimensioned
to receive the rod. One end of the rod is threaded, the threaded end of the
rod being configured
to thread to a threaded collar with the threaded collar being configured to
press the first and second
flat plates together when the collar is threaded onto the rod. The truss plate
includes a flat piece of
metal having opposite sides, opposite ends and opposite side edges with a
plurality of teeth
projecting upwardly from one of said opposite sides. A first aperture is
formed on the plate
between the opposite ends and opposite side edges, the first aperture
dimensioned to receive the
rod portion of the truss plate mounting press.
The invention is also directed at a method of using the system described above
to joint two
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pieces of lumber. The method includes the steps of placing the two pieces of
lumber in abutting
arrangement and forming a hole in at least one of the two pieces of lumber
adjacent where the
pieces of lumber abut with the hole being dimensioned to receive the rod of
the truss plate
mounting press. The method further includes the step of placing the truss
plate flat onto the first
plate by passing the first aperture of the truss plate onto the rod with the
plurality of teeth facing
away from the first plate and then passing the rod through the hole. The
second plate is then placed
onto the rod such that the lumber is positioned between the first and second
plates with the teeth
of the truss plate facing the lumber. The collar is then threaded onto the
threaded end of the rod
and then further threaded onto the rod so as to urge the first and second
plates towards each other.
The collar is then further tighten onto the rod to drive the plurality of
teeth into the pieces of lumber
to firmly secure the pieces of lumber together by mutual attachment to the
truss plate. Finally, the
collar is unthreaded from the rod and the truss plate mounting place can be
removed from the
pieces of lumber.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a top view of a truss plate made in accordance with the present
invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of the truss plate shown in figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side view of a pair of truss plates made in accordance with the
present invention being
mounted to cut lumber in accordance with the method of the present invention
using a truss plate
mounting press made in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 4 is a side view of the pair of truss plates shown in figure 3 showing
the truss plates being
positioned on the cut lumber using the truss plate mounting press shown in
figure 3.
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Figure 5 is a side view of the pair of truss plates shown in figure 3 showing
the truss plates being
urged towards each other using the truss plate mounting press shown in figure
3.
Figure 6 is a side view of the pair of truss plates shown in figure 3 showing
the truss plates joining
the cut lumber together.
Figure 7 is a top view of an alternate embodiment of the truss plate made in
accordance with the
present invention.
Figure 8 is a side view of the truss plate shown in figure 7.
Figure 9 is a top view of yet another alternate embodiment of the truss plate
made in accordance
with the present invention.
Figure 10 is a side view of the truss plate shown in figure 9.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of a wall constructed using the truss plates
of the present invention.
In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
the different
figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring firstly to figures 1 and 2, a truss plate made in accordance with
the present
invention is shown generally as item 10 and includes a flat metal plate 12
having opposite side 14
and 16, opposite ends 18 and 20 and opposite sides 22 and 24. A plurality of
teeth 26 are formed
on side 14 of the plate and a central portion 28 has an aperture 30 formed
roughly centrally in plate
10 between sides 22 and 24. Teeth 26 are formed from part of punched holes 25
as in a standard
truss plate. Aperture 30 may be positioned exactly midway between ends 18 and
20, or in some
embodiments, the aperture may be closer to end 18 or end 20, depending on the
intended
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application of the truss plate. Flat metal plate 12 is preferably made of
galvanized steel or any
other suitably strong and rigid metal or material.
Referring now to figure 3, the truss plate of the present invention is used to
join two pieces
of cut lumber, namely 2x4 ends 32 and 34. Lumber pieces 32 and 34 are abutted
together at joint
36 and a tap hole or aperture 50 is formed at the joint. The joint is to be
made permanent by
means of identical truss plates 10A and 10B and the portable press 38.
Portable press 38 consists
of a flat steel plate 40, rod 42 which is rigidly mounted perpendicularly to
plate 40 and upper plate
44. Plates 40 and 44 and rod 42 are all preferably made of carbon steel
with rod 42 being welded
to plate 40 to be rigidly attached to the plate. Plate 44 has aperture 46
which is dimensioned to
receive rod 42. Rod 42 has threaded end 48 permitting a threaded collar 52 to
be threaded onto
rod 42. Apertures 30 of plates 10A and 10B are dimensioned to receive rod 42.
Plates 10A and
10B are substantially identical to truss plate 10 in figure 1. To join lumber
pieces 32 and 34, plate
10B is first threaded onto rod 42 with teeth 26 of the plate 10B oriented
upwardly. Lumber pieced
32 and 34 are then aligned onto rod 42 so that the rod passes through aperture
50. Plate 10A is
then threaded onto rod 42 with teeth 26 of the truss plate oriented
downwardly. Then, upper plate
44 is oriented such that aperture 46 is coaxially aligned with rod 42. Collar
52 can then be
threaded onto end 48. When plate 40, rod 42, lumber 32 and 34, truss plates
10A and 10B, plate
44 and collar 52 are all coaxially aligned, the plates can be moved towards
each other such that
teeth 26 contacts the surface of lumber pieces 32 and 34.as seen in figure 4.
Rotating collar 52
then urges plates 44 and 40 towards each other, forcing truss plates 10A and
10B towards each
other forcing teeth 26 to penetrate deeply into lumber pieces 32 and 34. Of
course, the torsional
force required to be applied to collar 52 to force plates 40 and 44 is
significant, requiring the use
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of a long ratchet arm or wrench. Preferably a long torque wrench which is
configured to lock
onto collar 52 is used to allow the operator to torque the collar by hand with
sufficient torsional
force to force plates 10A and 10B to be fully inserted into lumber pieces 32
and 34 as seen in
figure 5. When teeth 26 of the truss plates are fully inserted into lumber
pieces 32 and 34, then
the collar can be unscrewed, and plates 40 and 44 removed leaving only the
joined pieces of lumber
(see figure 6). Since the clamping device 38 (figure 3) is relatively small,
and since the joining
operation can be performed by hand in the field using simple wrenches, it is
possible for a user to
join pieces of lumber together using truss plates without the need of
hydraulic presses.
Referring now to figures 7 and 8, an alternate embodiment of the truss plate
made in
accordance with the present invention is shown as item 100. Truss plate 100
consists of a flat
steel plate 102 having opposite sides 104 and 106 with teeth 108 projecting
upwardly from side
104. Aperture 118 is positioned on plate 102 midway between side edges 114 and
116 and
between ends 110 and 112. In the embodiment shown in figure 7, aperture 118 is
positioned
closer to end 112 relative to end 110. This sort of plate can be used where
the joint is in a tight
corner.
Another alternate embodiment of the truss plate made in accordance with the
present
invention is shown in figures 9 and 10 as item 200. Truss plate 200 consists
of a flat steel plate
202 having opposite sides 204 and 206 with teeth 108 projecting upwardly from
side 204.
Aperture 218 is positioned on plate 202 midway between side edges 214 and 216
and between
ends 210 and 212. Aperture 218 is positioned on plate 202 such that the
aperture is surround by
teeth 108. In the embodiment shown in figure 9, aperture 218 is positioned
closer to end 210
relative to end 212. Additional apertures 220 are formed between aperture 218
and end 210.
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Apertures 220 are dimensioned to receive screws or nails (not shown) for
securing end 210 of plate
200 to a cut piece of lumber by means of said screws and nails. Additional
apertures/score
marks/slots 222 are provided in a line between aperture 218 and apertures 220.
Slots 222 are
aligned to permit plate 202 to bend along line 221 which effectively acts as a
fold line. This
permits plate 202 to be bent or folded at apertures 222 to permit the truss
plate to be used to mount
cut lumber pieces which are mounted partly at right angles to each other.
An elongated slot 230 extends perpendicularly from edge 213 of end 212. Slot
230
extends parallel to side edges 214 and 216 but is closer to side edge 214.
Slot 230 extends to fold
line 221 and divides the end of plate 200 adjacent end 212 into portion 234
and 235 permitting
portion 235 to be folded along fold line 221 while leaving portion 234
coplanar with the rest of
plate 200 (or vice versa). Additional apertures 232 are positioned on portion
234 adjacent side
edge 214 such that nails or screws can be used to secure portion 234. Plate
200, having additional
features, provides a more versatile truss plate capable of being used in a
plurality of different
scenarios. This sort of plate can also be used where the joint is in a tight
corner or where the joint
is formed between two pieces of lumber at right angles to each other. In the
case of the joint being
two pieces of lumber held at right angles to each other, plate 200 can be
folded with the teeth
securing one piece of lumber and either screws or nails being used to secure
the other piece of
lumber to the plate.
Aperture 218 is concentrically surrounded by a support ring 217. Support ring
217 may
consist of a separate metal reinforcing ring mounted to the plate 202 by spot
welding or the like,
or it preferably comprises a stamping of plate 202 to form a raised annular
portion surrounding
aperture 218. Support ring 217 is used to provide additional stiffness to the
portion of plate 202
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where aperture 218 is formed and helps ensures that the portion of the plate
adjacent aperture 218
remains flat.
Referring now to figure 11, a wall construction 300 can be made using
horizontal lumber
pieces 302 and 304, and vertical pieces 306 and 308. Pieces 306 have ends 310
and 312 and
pieces 308 have ends 314 and 316. Truss plates 318 made in accordance with the
present
invention are used to join the pieces of lumber together to form a much
stronger wall construction.
Truss plates 318 are very similar to truss plates 200 (see figures 9 and 10)
and have a first portion
320 and second portion 322. First portion 320 has a plurality of teeth which
are identical to those
described with reference to truss plates 200. Second portion 322 of truss
plates 318 have a
plurality of apertures dimensioned to receive fastening screws 324. As with
previous embodiment
200, truss plate 318 has a fold line to permit truss plate 318 to be folded
such that portions 320 and
322 are at a right angle to each other. Using a combination of flat truss
plates 318, vertical lumber
pieces 306 and 308 can be joined together abutting ends 310 and 314 to form
long vertical
members. These vertical members can then be securely mounted to horizontal
lumber piece 302
by using folded truss plates 318 as illustrated. To use truss plates 318 to
mount the vertical
members to horizontal lumber 302, holes will have to be formed in pieces 306
adjacent ends 312.
A horizontal support rod (or cable) 326 can be passed through the holes in
lumber 306 and
apertures 324 of truss plates 318 adjacent ends 312. Likewise, horizontal
support rod (or cable)
328 can be passed through the truss plates 318 mounting lumber pieces 308 to
lumber 304.
Horizontal support rods 326 and 328 can add significant structural strength to
wall 300 making the
wall better suitable for constructions likely to experience earthquake or
hurricane conditions.
A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed; however,
several
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variations of the disclosed embodiment could be envisioned as within the scope
of this invention.
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the
embodiments described
above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the
following claims.
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